A charity that reintegrates troubled people into the community has criticised paedophile ‘scaremongering’ that could damage its work.

Rumours have circulated among concerned parents about buildings in New Haw and Addlestone, which are used by two charities to help vulnerable people and those with mental health problems to find independent living.

Stories quickly spread that Transform Housing and Support’s site in Woodham Lane, which opened last month and Together for Mental Wellbeing’s building in Green Lane were going to be used for rehoming paedophiles.

This week the charities hit back at the rumours.

Transform Housing and Support provides accommodation and support services for vulnerable people and the Woodham Lane site was a flagship building for the cause.

Chief executive Paul Mitchell said: “The people we support face issues that can happen to anyone – debt, relationship breakdowns, mental health issues or even homelessness.

“We help them to become more confident and to contribute within their community, and indeed to thrive.

“There are significant benefits to each individual of a community that helps those in their midst to rebuild their lives.

“Very sadly, for a few new properties there have been rumours and scaremongering about the type of person receiving housing and support.

“Not only can it hinder the progress for a vulnerable person, it can also cause problems for us, as a charity, as we simply try to help people transform their lives.

“We need to build strong and understanding communities that nurture and encourage those who are experiencing misfortune.”

Parental concerns over children’s safety have been heightened recently following suspected attempted abductions of a child in Staines and one in Chertsey during the past three weeks.

Runnymede Police neighbourhood inspector Roger Nield said people were ‘limping before they are kicked’, but understood parental concerns.

He said: “These sites are not anything to do with paedophiles at all.

“I appreciate in these exciting times, at the beginning of the school year, when we get concerned about people trying to snatch children, it [the rumours] goes round.

“Spreading rumours is what happens in a community because people are concerned but the people who are housed there are more anxious about the real world than the ambient population should be about them. There aren’t lots of people trying to snatch your kids.

“I would rather be catching burglars and stopping people selling drugs to people’s kids than chasing shadows.”

He added that detectives were still working on the abduction investigations and stressed that anyone who had genuine concerns should contact the neighbourhood policing team on the non-emergency 101 number.